Step-up mechanism



May 19, 1953 M. J. BINKS EI'AL 2,633,789

STEP-UP MECHANISM Filed April 25, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 19,1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEP-UP DIECHANISM ration, Chicago,111.

Application April 25, 1951, Serial No. 222,912

' 7 Claims. 1

It is an object of the invention to provide such a mechanism which issimple in construction and economical in manufacture. Step-up mechanismwhich are presently used in marble pin ball game apparatuses areincapable of effecting more than one revolution of the contact wiperfinger. This by reason of the fact that the ratchet wheel is limited inits rotation by a spring which serves to return the ratchet wheel to astarting position.

A principal object of our invention is to provide in a step-up mechanisma ratchet wheel which is not thus limited, with the end result that weare able to register by illumination a higher score than that registeredby illumination in game apparatuses employing the present type ofstep-up mechanisms, that is, one limited in its rotation by its returnspring.

A still further and equally important object of the invention is toprovide a step-up mechanism of the class hereinafter described whichwill be simple and effective in use with the operating parts cooperatingin a simple manner to facilitate their assembly in a single unitarystructure.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of partsto be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of my improved step-up mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 3-3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the same;

Fig. 5 is a back view of the same taken substantially on line 5--5 ofFig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a suggested circuit diagram illustrating one of the many usesof my step-up mechanism.

The several objects of the invention are accomplished by the preferredform of construction shown in the accompanying drawings. In thesedrawings a mounting plate is indicated at H]. By means of brackets l lextending from the four corners of this plate H], such plate is mountedto a stationary wall l2.

To the rear of the plate In and supported therefrom by a bracket I3 is aplate [4 of non-conductive material and having secured thereto in equalspaced relation with respect to each other contact heads [5 which areadapted to be connected in circuit with incandescent lamps hereinafterreferred to.

The plates Ill and I4 have formed therein aligned openings in which ashaft 16 is journaled. The inner end portion ll of the shaft It carriesa wiper blade I8, the outer end IQ of which is adapted to successivelyengage the contact heads 15. Fixed to the outer end 20 of the shaft is abushing 2!. This bushing 2i carries a ratchet wheel 22. A second ratchetwheel 23 is arranged in spaced confronting relation with respect to theratchet wheel 22 and is secured in such spaced relation by means ofbolts 24 projected through spacing sleeves 25.

As particularly noted in Fig. 4, the teeth of the ratchet wheel 23extend in a direction opposite to that of the teeth of the ratchet wheel22. It is apparent that the ratchet wheels 22 and 23 rotate together inthe same direction of rotation.

Secured by suitable brackets 26 to the plate 10 are two electromagneticcoils 21 and 28, the coil 21 being a step-up coil and the coil 28 areset coil.

The solenoid 29 of the step-up coil 21 is pivotally connected at 30 to alever 31 in turn pivotally connected as at 32 to the plate It. The upperend portion of the lever 3| is pivotally connected as at 33 to an arm34. The outer end portion of this arm 34 provides a dog 35 adapted toengage successively the teeth of the ratchet wheel 22. Pivotallyconnected to this arm 34 as at 36 is the shank 3! of a closed cam frame38, the top frame member of which is tapered downwardly and outwardlyfrom the shank 31 as shown in Fi 4.

Pivotally connected to the lever 3! as its point of pivotal connectionwith the plate In is an arm 39 providing a holding dog 40 which isadapted to engage the teeth of the wheel 22. A finger 4| is provided ona plate 42 and is adapted to be engaged by a finger 43 provided as anextension of the holding dog 40 to limit the pivotal movement of suchdog by the action of a spring 44 having one end portion 45 connected tothe arm 39 and an opposite end portion 46 connected to the plate 42. Theoutward movement of the solenoid 29 is limited by a head bearingadjustment screw 41.

The solenoid 48 of the coil 28 is pivotally connected as at 49 to alever 50 in turn pivotally connected as at 5| to the plate It). Theoutward movement of the solenoid 48 is limited by a head bearingadjustment screw 48'. The upper end portion of this lever 50 ispivotally connected as at 51' to an arm 52 providing a reset dog 53extending substantially at right angles with respect 3 to the arm 52 andnormally resting upon the lower bar 54 of the cam frame 38. Pivo'tallyconnected as at 55 to the arm 52 is the shank 56 of a cam frame 5'!similar in construction to the cam frame 38 but having its top bar 58extending downwardly away from the shank 56. The dog 35 extends throughthe frame 5? and normally rests on the lower bar59ithere'of. As seen in'Fig. 4;"the .cam frames-38 and 51 are arranged inconfronting relationwith respect to each other. Projecting through these frames at a pointadjacent the apex of each frame is a pin 6|. This pin .ttisconnected asat 62 to the plate Ill.

Pivotally connected to the.aleve1u50;iat...its-,.point of pivotalconnection 5l' to thei plate lil',.:iswan arm 63 providing a dog 65adapted to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 23..;.Like-l.the.-..dog All, this dog 64 is limited in its pivotal movementtoward the teeth by a stop finger 65 adapted to engage a blocking finger66. The pivotal move- :ccmentstotthea. dog 545 .into; zengagementtwiththe teeth of the wheel 23 is under actionsiof a s'pring cifilchavingconeend portionatficonnected-to the .narmiti-liandzanlopposite endportion-t9 connected fingerzfiiand connecteditoithe: lever 50, asat l l.

:1. The: levers -31: and-tilieach provide an .upwardly :1. extending--;portion lZr. connected .together by. a

.i gspringfl which inormallyeretains the .levers. in

MJBIIQPOSitIOHYShOWIl inFig. 1. Our-1iimprovedistep npmechanismmay be.used ..-.=-to. control: :various:=. electric. circuits. However,nsuchstep up; mechanism has beenespecially designed by us for the use ina circuit of a pin-ball .iplurality .of; incandescent lamps M; which;when 'tilluminated, .:illuminate.- a score: which has been .ra-ttained;bythe player.

,; The-tcontact= heads El -may represent different izlSCOlGrzVLlLlBS.1The.:incandescentiamps M .reprev 4 the coil 21 will be energized andproject the lever 3! so as to move the arm 34 to the left as viewed inFig. 1. As this arm 34 is moved in such direction, the cam frame 38moves therewith and, as the top bar thereof engages the pin 6|, the camframe 3%. will be pivoted in an upward direction, disengaging the dog 53from the adja- .-.cent--too.th of the wheel"-:23.z-y'simultaneous withcthis movementof the framei38-thestop finger 4| 9 having been moved uponpivotal movement of Kathe lever 3! in an anti-clockwise direction fromv...engag.ement with the finger 43, the dog 49 will be permitted to moveinto engagement with the iadjacentctoothz.ofnthe rear wheel 22, thusholdzljtirlggthe whels1z22 and 23 against movement in to; aw plate alt.formed as ran-i integral part of .vthe':

=-game .;.apparatus in which there. are. arranged a;

....mechanism:16. ..-'Ihis step upmechanism-is sub- .....stantially.-.-similar to-.-that:sho.wn .in United States Patent. No. 2,281,262,wherein. there =are..disclosed among other -.-things,- a. wiper. finger.ll, aCOIltBJJt .uheadsa'lma .step.+up .coil.l$ .and a .reset coilllSfl.

.cthecontact? heads 18. For...example,.-assuming.

that. each contact head A 5 has the .valuel'of .1?

tinasmuch .as every ninth. contacthead. of .the ACOIltB/Gt heads [5,.is...connected. in .circuit with a ....contactlhea'd"lt, the score-valueofthefirs't lamp ..;.of...the lamps 83. will. be 10, the second"20,rth..thirdf30, andso. on; 1 The vcircuit"illustrated inIFig". 6 is. toshow one of .the, many uses of our invention. and it. is to beuhderstoodthat we are not to be limitedto such circuit;.' also while-we .have'shown but one rowtof 'contactjheads"'l5 and 1 one 'wiper'xfinger "18,there may be several such rows concentrically arranged'withrespecttoeach otherand each engaged by a wiper finger.

"The operation'of'our improvedstep-up mechanismis'a's follows:

'."'.The wheels 22 and "223 are advanced step+byestepiin aclockwisedirection through the step up dog "'35; .This. is accomplished asfollows:

i. IW-hen the switch "84 .(which switch. may .repreesent a ball-actuated:switch .oiuthc .like is closed,

--&I1. '2 Ill'ri-'0100k-WiSe direction. Pivotal movement ...-.ot..the.lever 3l...in a clockwise direction will bear "the dog 35 against theadjacent tooth and rotate .zthewwh'eels 22 and 23 in a clockwisedirection.

During this operatiom? the dog 64 has been held from engagement .withtheoutenwheelZ 3: by the 1 .springi'i.

.-..Each.time the electromagneticcoil 2l..is=.energized, ,,-the..wheels.22 and .23.. will .be. advanced step-by-step.

Each time. the electromagnetic ,coil .2 this energized by the closing ofaswitchil l .(which switch .may .be a conventional .coin. slide.switchwhich conditions 1 the. game... apparatus for pl y) .the

ratchet. wheels. 22- and :23 willc berotated in an anti-clockwise.direction. .This .isaccornplished in "the followingmanners=Whencthetso1enoidi29cis moved. inwardly with respecttathe coil.28,.. the levertii is. pivoted in aLclockwisedirection..; ThispermitsthedogM tomoveinto engagement with :the outerqwheel 23 ,torhold.theratchet -Wheels.-22 and 23 against rotation-in a.c1ockwisedirection. As the. levertfiii .projects. .in. a. clockwise .direction,

.the. cam frame 51,.thereof pivots therewith and brings the. top. bar...5 3 thereof ..into.. engagement with. the in 6 I; .pivoting theframe;upwardlsmo hear, thebottombar .of .the frame .5T...against ,the

dog -3 5: to... pivot. vthe dog..upwardly-.from. engagement with-tha.adjacent. tooth .of., the wheel 22. At ,the, .same...time,. the.dog-531s .moved..-backwone ,tooth..to..engage..thenexttooth..Of..the..wheel..23.

When the lever '50 is 'pivoteddn a clockwisendi- .r.ection,by...the,spring 13, the wheels'Q22 land 23 Twill...be..ro.tated-.onestep. in .an...anti=clockwise..di-

rectioncequivalent to..'..the.1.distance. .betweenllthe toothcf -the.wheeli23..;..Each..timef..the coil-3.28 is energized, the "wheels '22and .23 lwillhemotated. in

7 an. anti-clockwise .direction,v .asviewed in'Eig. l,

gnilstep equivalent to"the"distance-.betWeBII'Ithe Intheconstructionfofour' stepeupmechanism we..do not limit the rotation"ofjthe. wheels 22..and "23 by any return spring. The wheelsareftherefore free to be rotated stepby-step thrqughiseveralrevolutions. ".1 This...is.;i important because. it permitsthe-uti1-ization-"-of a larger numberof contact heads; with the end"result. that a --larger score may-be registered"by iliumination than" isordinarily registered, by theuse ,of step-up-mecha--nism-now*commonly.inuse.

hile-we'have' "illustrated and'describ'ew-the pref erredformfofjconstructiomfor carrying our =inventioninto effect; this is-capable of-va-riation and -modi-ficationwithout :departing from "the spirit of'the inVentioni-We, therefore? do not wish to be limited to theprecisedetailsof-construc- 'tionset' forth; but desireto'avail'ourselves. of such variations .and modifications. as come"withinjithe. scopefo'f the. appendedlclaims.

Til-laying" thus described. our. invention, what... we

claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A step-up mechanism of the class described comprising a support, ashaft rotatably supported by said support, a disc bearing a plurality ofcontacts supported by said support, a wiper finger on one end of theshaft and adapted for successive engagement with the contacts of saiddisc, a first ratchet wheel on said shaft, a second ratchet wheelarranged in confronting spaced relation with respect to said firstratchet wheel, means for connecting said ratchet wheels in said spacedrelation with respect to each other, the teeth of said first ratchetwheel extending in a direction opposite to that of the teeth of thesecond ratchet wheel, means for successively engaging the teeth of thefirst ratchet wheel to rotate said ratchet wheels in one direction,means for successively engaging the teeth of the second ratchet wheelfor rotating said ratchet wheels in an opposite direc tion and means forholding one of said ratchet wheel rotating means while the other of saidratchet wheel rotating means is effective to rotate said ratchet wheels,said last-named means including cam frames extending from one end ofeach of said ratchet wheel rotating means and adapted to cam theineffective ratchet wheel rotating means out of engagement with itsrespective ratchet wheel. v

2. A step-up mechanism of the class described comprising a support, ashaft rotatably supported by said support, a disc bearing a plurality ofcontacts supported by said support, a

wiper finger on one end of the shaft and adapted for successiveengagement with the contacts of said disc, a first ratchet wheel on saidshaft, a second ratchet wheel arranged in confronting spaced relationwith respect to said first ratchet wheel, means for connecting said Lratchet wheels in said spaced relation with respect to each other, theteeth of said first ratchet wheel extending in a direction opposite tothat of the teeth of the second ratchet Wheel, means for successivelyengaging the teeth of the first ratchet Wheel to rotate said ratchetwheels in one direction, holding means for said first ratchet wheel whensaid first ratchet Wheel is rotated in said one direction, means forsuccessively engaging the teeth of the second ratchet wheel for rotatingsaid ratchet wheels in an opposite direction, holding means for saidsecond ratchet wheel when said second ratchet wheel is rotated in saiddirection opposite to said one direction, and means for holding one ofsaid ratchet wheel rotating means while the other of said ratchet wheelrotating means is effective to rotate said ratchet wheels, saidlastnamed means including cam frames extending from one end of each ofsaid ratchet wheel rotating means and adapted to cam the ineffectiveratchet wheel rotating means out of engagement with its respectiveratchet wheel.

3. A step-up mechanism of the class described comprising a support, ashaft rotatably supported by said support, a disc bearing a plurality ofcontacts supported by said support, a wiper finger on one end of theshaft and adapted for successive engagement with the contacts ofsaid'disc, a first ratchet wheel on said shaft, a second ratchet wheelarranged in confronting spaced relation with respect to said firstratchet wheel, means for connecting said ratchet wheels in said spacedrelation with respect to each other, the teeth of said first ratchetwheel extending in a direction opposite to that of the teeth of thesecond ratchet wheel, electromagnetic means for successively engagingthe teeth of the first ratchet wheel to rotate said ratchet wheels inone direction, electromagnetic means for successively engaging the teethof the second ratchet wheel for rotating said ratchet wheels in anopposite direction and means for holding one of said ratchet wheelrotating means while the other of said ratchet Wheel rotating means iseffective to rotate said ratchet wheels, said last-named means includingcam frames extending from one end of each of said ratchet wheel rotatingmeans and adapted to cam the ineffective ratchet wheel rotating meansout of engagement with its respective ratchet wheel.

4. A step-up mechanism of the class described comprising a support, ashaft rotatably sup ported by said support, a disc bearing a pluralityof contacts supported by said support, a wiper finger on one end of theshaft and adapted for successive engagement with the contacts of saiddisc, a first ratchet wheel on said shaft, a second ratchet Wheelarrangedin confronting spaced relation with respect to said firstratchet wheel, means for connecting said ratchet wheels in said spacedrelation with respect to each other, the teeth of said first ratchetwheel extending in a direction opposite to that of the teeth of thesecond ratchet wheel, electromagnetic means for successively engagingthe teeth of the first ratchet wheel to rotate said ratchet wheels inone direction, holding means for said first ratchet wheel when saidfirst ratchet wheel is rotated in said one direction, electromagneticmeans for successively engaging the teeth of the second ratchet wheelfor rotating said ratchet wheels in an opposite direction, holding meansfor said second ratchet wheel when said second ratchet wheel is rotatedin said direction opposite to said one direction, and means for holdingone of said ratchet wheel rotating means while the other of said ratchetwheel rotating means is effective to rotate said ratchet wheels, saidlast-named means including cam frames extending from one end of each ofsaid ratchet wheel rotating means and adapted to cam the ineffectiveratchet wheel rotating means out of engagement with its respectiveratchet wheel.

5. A step-up mechanism of the class described comprising a support, ashaft rotatably supported by the support, a first ratchet wheel on saidshaft, a second ratchet wheel arranged in confronting spaced relationwith respect to said first ratchet wheel, means for connecting saidratchet wheels in said spaced relation with respect to each other, theteeth of said first ratchet wheel extending in a direction opposite tothat of the teeth of the second ratchet wheel, means for successivelyengaging the teeth of said first ratchet wheel to rotate said ratchetwheel in one direction, means for successively engaging the teeth of thesecond ratchet wheel for rotating said ratchet wheels in an oppositedirection, and means for holding one of said ratchet wheel rotatingmeans while the other of said ratchet wheel rotating means is effectiveto rotate said ratchet wheels, said last-named means including camframes extending from one end of each of said ratchet wheel rotatingmeans and adapted to cam the ineffective ratchet wheel rotating meansout of engagement with its respective ratchet wheel.

6. A step-up mechanism of the class described asea'zee comprising: a.support, a shafit rotatabht snp ported by the support, a first ratchetwheet on saidv shaft, a. second ratchet wheel arranged: confrontingspaced. relation. with respect. to said first ratchet wheel, means: forconnecting said ratchet wheels. in said spaced relation. with respect toeach other, the teeth on said first ratchet wheel extending in adirection oopnsite to that. of the teeth of the secondv ratchet whe l,electromagnetic means for suceessivelarengag; mg; the teeth of saidfirst ratchet. wheel to rotate said: ratchet. wheel. in one; direction,electricmagnetic means for successively engaging the teeth of the.second ratchet: wheel for rotatin said ratchet. wheels in an oppositedirection, andm-eans for holding. one of, said ratchet wheel rotatingmeans while the other of said ratchet wheel. rotating means is effectiveto rotate said ratchet wheels, said last named means. including cam.frames extending from one end. of: cash. of said ratchet wheelrotati'ngimeans. and: adapted. to camv the ineffective ratchet wheelrotating means out of engagement with its: respective ratchet wheel;

7. A step-up mechanism or the class described comprising a support, ashaft, rotatahly' sup: ported. by the support, a. first ratchet wheel onsaid shaft, a. second ratchet wheelv arranged. in confronting spacedrelation with respect to said first ratchet. wheel, means; torconnecting. said ratchet wheels in said spaced; relation; with respectto. each. other, the. teeth. of said. first ratchet wheel extending in adirection opposite to that of the. teeth. of the second ratchet wheel,holding means for said first ratchet wheel when said. first ratchetwheel is. rotated said one direction, means for successively engagingthe teeth of said. first ratchet wheel to rotate said ratchet wheel. inone direction, holding means for. said second ratchet wheel when saidsecond ratchet Wheel is rotated in said direction. op.- posite' tosaidone direction, means for successively engaging the teeth of. the secondratchet wheel for rotating said ratchet. wheels in an op positedirection, and means. for holding. one. of said ratchet wheel rotatingmeans while the. other of said ratchet wheel rotating means is effectiveto rotate said ratchet wheels, said last-nam2d means including camframes. extending from one endof each, of said ratchet wheel rotating.means and adapted to cam the ineffiective ratchet wheel rotating meansout. of engagement with its respective ratchet wheel.

MELVIN J. BINKS. ALPHONSE A. SAMOLIS.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS:

Number Name Date 732,157 Bedwerth- June 30, I903 1,565,336 Seufert Dec.15, 1925 2,676,832 Tigerman Apr. 13-, 1937 2,079,429 Tauschek May 4,1937 2,452,030 Hughes Oct. 26, 1948 2,536,744 Henry Jan. 2, 1951

